


Helium Is The Way to a Girl´s Heart

by UnwrittenPage



Category: Vocaloid
Genre: Drama, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Family Issues, First Crush, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Humor, Multi, Oliver Acts His Age for Once, Overly Concerned Hio, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Puppy Love, Rin is a little shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-08-10 20:10:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7859479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnwrittenPage/pseuds/UnwrittenPage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver has had a crush on Rin for quite some time but hasn´t been sure of how to get her attention. At the Kagamine twin´s birthday-party a golden opportunity arises, but is it really worth his vocal chords and a one month house-arrest?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Time of Your Life

**Author's Note:**

> Not gonna lie, I´ve had a quite shitty time as of late but I´m not going into details. Writing this story has taken my mind somewhat off these things though and I´m actually really glad overall with how this came out :). 
> 
> I still work on the technicalities of my writing though and if you find flaws don´t be afraid to point them out. Since I´m now quite tired as I post this my plan is to go back and correct this later anyway so any help is very much welcome :). 
> 
> With that said though hope you enjoy the story.

"And you don't do anything Mr and Mrs Kagamine doesn't allow", Hio continued in the lecturing tone he always used when his brother was about to go out on dangerous adventures, such dangerous adventures as the Kagamine-twins birthday-party...

"Yes", Oliver sighed as he looked up at the taller blond, "I will obey every rule they set up and no, if everyone decides to climb up the roof I won't follow them. And no, I won't get drunk and go skinny-dipping in the public-pool".

"See", Hio looked at the boy with wide eyes, a most serious expression on his face, "you're saying that now but after you've been served those lovely colorful drinks and realized they're not actually soda it will be too late to come back to your senses".

Gakupo laughed from where he stood, a few feet behind the two brothers something that immediately had Hio glaring at him as though he'd just confessed to partaking in a burglary.

"Hio", Gakupo smiled amusedly, "the thing about parties arranged by parents is that everything that looks like soda actually IS soda".

"Mhm!" Hio looked at him skeptically, arms crossed over his chest, "and you apparently know this because you go to so many teenage birthday parties".

"I used to", Gakupo shrugged his shoulder, "when I was Oliver's age".

"Yeah, but that was over 10 years ago, you don't know how people handle it these days".

"Come on!" Gakupo chuckled, "you know Mr and Mrs Kagamine, don't you?"

"Yeah, but kids are more clever today", Hio protested, "they can get whatever they want into that party and pretend that it's prune-juice, and nobody will question it".

A hawk from Oliver interrupted the small argument.

"You know", the boy said in a discrete tone, "all this is very interesting but I am running late".

"Come on!" Gakupo gave Hio a gentle yet amused smile as he glanced towards Oliver, "just let him go have his soda now. I can assure you there won't be anything but sugar in it".

Hio looked skeptically from his boyfriend to his brother before making his decision.

"Okey then", he said, "but remember. Just because Rin does it it doesn't mean it's a good idea".

Oliver gave another sigh, a tired expression on his face.

"No", he said, "if Rin decides to ride to world's end on the back of a pig I won't join her".

Hio looked back at him, arms crossed over his chest, gaze lingering almost suspiciously on his brother.

"Okey then", he said finally, "but be careful. Sometimes things are more appealing than they should be. Okey", he smiled softly, "now don't be late and call me when you get there", he placed a kiss on the boy's cheek before in his almost ritualistic manner adjusting the collar of the boy´s black suit, "love you!"

"Love you to", Oliver muttered before looking back at the two men in front of him, "okey. I'll be going now. Take care".

"Take care", Gakupo smiled as he raised his hand in a casual wave.

"Okey, see you later", Oliver gave a small smile as he turned his back to leave.

"Really?" Hio looked skeptically at Gakupo as the boy was out of sight, " _you_ participated in parties".

"Yeah", Gakupo grimaced heavily, "a tea-party that my parents set up for me when I was 16. 100 % surveillance and might I tell you, not  _even_ sodas to drink", he gave a deep sigh, "absolute worst day of my life."

"I'm sorry", Hio frowned as he placed a hand on his shoulder, "want to talk about it?"

"No", Gakupo looked as though he just taken a big bite of a lemon, "some things are best left in the past".

Hio only nodded as a reply. If he´d been forced to have a tea-party surveyed by his parents at age 16 he would have spoken of it to no ends, but he guessed they all had different ways to deal with trauma. 

 

                                                                                                          _._

 

Oliver ran a hand through his hair, which he'd for once left free of the hat before adjusting his suit one last time. He wouldn't admit it out loud of course but somehow he was extremely grateful that his brother had made such a fuss over him this morning. He looked good in the suit they'd bought for him together this weekend or at the very least as good as he could look in his own opinion. Which translated to at the very least not like the greatest dork of the century.

Hesitantly he raised his fist to knock on the white door. He really wanted her to be the one to open it and yet he was terrified she would be. 3 knocks, 3 barely audible knocks and 3 painful heartbeats before he heard the sound of the door-handle being twisted. It wasn't her though. It was Len dressed in a casual white shirt and black jeans with a discreet yet genuine smile on his face.

"Oliver-kun", he said as he reached out his hand, "good to see you".

Oliver was both relieved and disappointed as he accepted the hand outreached for him with a polite smile of his own.

"Thanks", he said, "happy birthday".

"Come on in!" the older boy turned his head and nodded towards the hall.

"Okey, thanks", Oliver nodded back, "and oh! Before I forget", he reached out the hand he had behind his back where the big package laid, "a present for the two of you".

"Thank you", Len smiled as he accepted the gift, "you really didn't have to. Rin is going to be so..."

"What am I going to be?" The loud soprano-voice made Oliver's heart jump as it interrupted his and Len's conversation.

Behind her brother stood Rin, dressed in a white summer dress, signature ribbon in her half long hair, an excited smile on her face that Oliver couldn't help but return with an adoring one of his own. He could feel that familiar heat wrap itself around his heart, desperately hoping that it didn't spread to his cheeks.

"Outright furious when you find out about all the horrible things we said about you while you were away", Len smiled in glee at his sister who only rolled her eyes at him in response.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you did", she made a casual wave with her hand before smiling at Oliver, "finally someone our age shows up! I thought aunt Miyo was going to drive me nuts", a dark look on her face as she glanced into the living-room where an army of adults dressed in their finest suits and gowns stood chatting while drinking something that Oliver guessed definitely wasn't soda, before smiling an unusually warm smile at the English boy, "come along now before we all die of boredom".

Without further do she grabbed Oliver by the hand, practically dragging him through the corridor.

Oliver's heart took a few extra leaps as he felt that warm palm against his own, the slender fingers intertwine themselves with his. Had she just done what it felt like she did? But he had no more time for reflection because Rin started running in a pace that almost had him flying through the living-room.

 

                                                                                                           _._

 

 

"And that was maybe not, but honestly not far off from the absolute worst day of my life", Gakupo ended the sentence as he looked ahead of him with a heavy grimace.

After Oliver had left for the party Gakupo had after all decided to lighten his chest about that horrible tea-party 8 years ago and as it had turned out it had been way more horrible than he remembered it.

"So really? Your father held an entire speech about how you were a horribly irresponsible, lazy and useless human-being if you didn't marry a good girl at age 18 and started a family by the time you were 20?" Hio frowned as he looked back at his boyfriend, "in front of 14 other 16 year olds".

Gakupo shrugged his shoulders.

"Pretty much", he said, "he didn't use those exact words though but the subtext was pretty much that we all sucked, every single one of us and if we didn´t get our acts together we´d all end up like delivery men. But as you can imagine it didn't exactly get to Kaito", his face split up in an amused grin.

"I can imagine", Hio gave a small smile of his own before shaking his head, "still, what an ass!"

"Or simply old traditional Japanese samurai", Gakupo shrugged his shoulders, "so what I'm saying is that you should be glad that the Kagamines at least aren't thaaaat traditional".

"Yeah", Hio frowned, "but I still keep thinking... there ought to be a reason to why Rin is allowed to act the way she does".

"Yeah", Gakupo raised an eyebrow, "that girl sure gets away with a lot of things but I seriously doubt it she'll be able to do that much with 20 adults following her every step".

"Yeah", Hio nodded, a thoughtful expression on his features, "I guess you're right".

They sat quiet for a while, leaning back on the couch, Gakupo with his arm around Hio's shoulder, Hio with his head resting on Gakupo's shoulder.

"So, do you want to watch Noir?" Gakupo said after a while, a soft smile on his face. "Noir?" Hio looked up immediately, "we have that here?"

"Yeah", Gakupo said calmly, "I have the entire series on DVD". "Why didn't you say so?" Hio shone up in childish excitement. "I'm saying it now, don't I?" Gakupo chuckled.

"So what are you waiting for? Go get it!" Hio said in an almost demanding voice as he rose from the couch in what seemed like the speed of lightning, dragging the purple-haired man behind him.

 

                                                                                                            _._

 

 

"Pssht! So boring!" Rin muttered as she grabbed her third soda this day, "seriously, who cares about a damn exhibition that happened 300 years ago?"

The twins birthday-party had been going on for two hours, and Miku, Oliver, Rin and Len were already bored out of their minds, although of course Rin was the only one with the nerves to voice it.

" _20_ years ago", Len hissed, "and don't speak so loud, they can hear you", he looked worriedly at the smiling adults a few meters away from them.

"As if!" Rin rolled her eyes, "they're all half deaf by now and besides Seiji ouji-san is close to an antiquity anyway, so 300 years or 20 doesn't matter".

Oliver and Miku exchanged a concerned look. They didn't know these people and they were pretty sure that if Rin was caught saying inappropriate things theirs weren't the skins to get in trouble, but fights at parties was a very unpleasant thing and family-arguments was most certainly one of the things you didn't want to get in the midst of.

"Sschh!" Len hissed, "you may not care but personally I'd rather not get house-arrest for 2 weeks".

Rin shrugged her shoulders.

"Whatever", she said, "guess I simply have to go elsewhere and act horribly", a sudden mischievous smile on her face.

"I'll pass", Len said immediately, a dark look on his face, "go get caught if you feel like it".

"Me too", Miku frowned heavily, "I'm afraid you're on your own, Rin".

"Okey then, be suckers!" Rin shrugged her shoulders again, "Oliver-kun?" she looked questioningly at the youngest member of the group.

Oliver looked at her in silence for a while. He had promised Hio not to follow along with every single one of Rin's whims hadn't he? Yet this was the perfect moment to actually spend some time alone with her since Miku and Len obviously had refused to play along with said whims. What to do, what to do?

If he followed her, he'd have a taste of a one month house-arrest with a side-dish of endless Hio complaints and nagging and if he didn't he'd missed out on an opportunity that may never come again. But on the other hand, maybe Rin had only intended to lighten her heart, not prank everyone in the neighborhood.

"Okey", he replied, trying to look as casual as possible.

"Good!" Rin's eyes practically sparkled as she dragged the smaller boy by the hand again in a speed that nearly made him fly.

 

                                                                                                           _._

 

Oliver heart beat quickly as Rin dragged him into the small room. They had been quiet all the way back into the house, a walk which had felt like hours despite of only having taken 5 minutes. During that time Oliver had managed to think up a thousand different scenarios.

Perhaps she just wanted to lighten her heart about her annoyance with her aunts and uncles and if so he would be the exact right person to talk to because not only did he have an endless experience listening to his brother lighten his heart, he also knew EXACTLY how annoying his brother could be when lightening his heart. Or alternatively she wanted to... Rin's face split up into another mischievous smile.

"Oliver-kun", she said, "have you ever tried helium?"

... play pranks on her familiy. Of course. What else could it be?

Oliver internally sighed. As much as he hated it he had to admit Hio was right. All Rin ever cared about was pranks, oranges, arcade-games and candy. He should just excuse himself, go out to the others and pretend that he hadn't been disappointed, or better yet blame it on a head ache and go back home.

Gakupo would be cool enough not to mention anything unless Oliver brought it up himself but Hio would be doting with him to no ends, looking at him with those almost anime figure-sized eyes, patting him on the head and constantly ask him if he was okay.

Yes, Hio would annoy the hell out of him but at least it was better than being around someone who's only mission in life was to annoy _everyone else_.

"If you haven't", Rin continued eagerly, eyes sparkling, "now is a perfect time".

"Well...", Oliver frowned still caught between excusing himself and go home and following along with whatever Rin had planned for them.

"Look!" Rin pointed towards the big tank standing on the black table, "this is where the fun starts. You can never inhale directly from the tank", she explained, "because that can be dangerous but if you simply", she started looking through the drawers until she drew out a small plastic bag filled with balloons, opening it she took one in her palm, quickly putting it to the opening of the tank, "it is quite trouble-free".

Oliver looked at her quietly. While he had to admit that he was interested in what she was about to show him and above all spending some alone time with her he didn't really know if whatever she intended to do with that balloon was such a good idea.

"Watch me, now", Rin brought the now full balloon to her mouth, taking one deep breath, "because you're about to see something awesome!"

Oliver's mouth fell open as he listened to her last sentence. Sure, Rin normally had a high voice but somehow granted that was even possible it seemed to have gone an entire octave higher.

"Try it Oliver", she continued in that ridiculously high voice, "it will set you free".

Oliver watched her with hesitation. This did look like fun but Hio finding out about it would mean no fun at all for an unpredictable amount of time. But what Hio didn't know didn't hurt him and above all not if what happened was restricted to this room and this room alone.

"Okey", he said finally, "one time".

"Yay!" Rin's face split up into a beautiful smile as she returned to her normal voice, "I swear you're not going to regret it".

"Sure", Oliver said carefully, "but just... once".

 

                                                                                                        _._

 

"Hasta la vista, baby!" The inhumanly high-pitched scream echoed through the air, "catch me if you can", Oliver continued in another impossibly high yell.

Oliver's one inhale had quickly turned into 5 and later on to 12 and it seemed once he started it was impossible to stop. He had simply never done anything similar his entire life.

Rin looked amused at the younger boy.

"I can tell somebody's having fun", she said.

"Yes", he said before inhaling another breath from the balloon and continuing in the unnatural falsetto, "I am having the time of my life".

He didn't know if it was a certain wish to impress the girl in front of him or a certain increase of confidence due to this new absurd voice but all of a sudden Oliver started singing.

"I've had the time of my life, and I've never felt this way before", the impossibly high soprano voice split the air in a million pieces, "and I've never felt this way before".

Rin laughed as she looked at him, bent over and with a hand placed on her stomach.

"Somebody is certainly enjoying the effects", she managed to get out between the giggles.

"And I know it's the truth", the boy continued, "and I owe it all to you".

Rin smiled. No, not smirked or grinned but actually smiled as she looked back at her friend.

"I have no idea what those words even means", she said, "because I suck at English but would you mind teaching me that song?"

Oliver was so surprised that he immediately stopped himself from inhaling his next breath of the balloon, eyes widening to their double size.

"Of course", he said, "of course".

 

                                                                                                      _._

 

 

"Mmm", Miku closed her eyes, a satisfied smile on her face as she swallowed another sip of the red drink, "you and your mother makes the best juice ever".

"Really?" Len gave his girlfriend a shy smile in return, "I'm glad to hear. We worked on it for some time".

"I can tell", Miku's eyes sparkled as she looked at the glass in her hand, "mind if I take more".

"Of course not", Len smiled sheepishly, "we've got plenty of it around", he frowned slightly, "no one but you seem to drink it anyway".

"That's a shame", the green haired girl laughed softly, "they don't know what they're missing out on. Well", she shrugged her shoulders, "just more for me."

The couple sat quietly for a while simply enjoying the moment. The bright sun warming their faces, the soft summer-breeze pleasantly brushing their bare hands and feet, the sound of people laughing and talking happily filling the air.

To be honest they were quite glad that Rin and Oliver had gone off on their own because not only did it mean a moment of time-out from Rin's loud exclamations and constant pranks, it also meant a moment to finally spend some time alone. Even if it was with 20 aunts and uncles surrounding them.

Miku intertwined her fingers with Len's, a content smile on her face.

"This is life", she said, "so glad you invited me in".

"Of course", Len laughed softly, "what would a birthday be without the light of the party?"

"Aww, you're too sweet", Miku smiled gently as she leaned her head against his shoulder, "I thought Rin was the light of the party".

"More like the obligatory chaos, no party can deal without", Len muttered, an annoyed look on his face as he thought of his energetic sister.

Miku giggled as she looked at her boyfriend with an amused smile.

"A little harsh, don't you think? Or maybe well...", she frowned slightly, "a little too kind. We've seen quite a lot haven't we?"

"Yeah", Len nodded, "I'm glad she went away for a while".

"Me to", Miku admitted, "she's really...", she grimaced slightly, "what you can call a strong personality."

"I feel sorry for Oliver though", Len frowned, "I don't think he fully knows what he's gotten himself into".

"I think he does", Miku shrugged her shoulders, "he has known her for some time to now".

"That's the problem", Len sighed, "he has such a long experience with her that he thinks that all she does is completely okey. Not to mention...", his words died out as he looked ahead of him.

"What?" Miku looked questioningly at the older Kagamine-twin.

"Well... Nothing important", Len smiled as casually as he could as he shrugged his shoulders. After all, some secrets simply weren't his to tell.

"Don't worry", Miku smiled comfortingly, "Oliver is too serious to follow along with her worst..."

But she didn't have time to finish the sentence as the sound of a mic being turned on and instants after an unnaturally high-pitched voice interrupted the moment.

"Ladies and gentlemen I have an announcement to make".

As they turned around they saw none other than Oliver standing on the small stage with the black mic in one hand and a big blue balloon in the other, and as they faced one another they had only one one thought in mind 'Rin was so dead'.

 

                                                                                                             _._

 

As Oliver stood up on stage some of his old nervousness returned to him. He had felt so confident about this just minutes ago but now that he stood in front of all these people, all these proper adults the consequences of his future actions already started haunting him.

First off, Hio was going to be SO mad at him, second all the people here were going to be SO mad at him but on the other hand Rin was going to be SO happy with him and that was worth a lot, perhaps even a cranky brother who grounded him for an entire month. Maybe...

Making his decision Oliver inhaled another breath from the balloon in his hand and opened his mouth.

"Now I've had the time of my life", the high-pitched voice echoed over the audiences heads.

Just as he'd suspected. Most of the audience's eyes widened in shock before he could hear a few loud gasps all over the place.

Oliver frowned. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. He should probably just... but an encouraging nod from the blond well-known figure sitting only meters away from the stage gave him the power to continue.

"And I swear it's the truth and I owe it all to you".

Another high-pitched line and the other faces now looked back at him in pure horror but Oliver had no time for reflection as another high-pitched voice interrupted the silence.

"I've had the time of my life", the English was heavily accented and could despite of its significant raise in pitch not be mistaken anywhere. As Rin walked up the stage, white dress moving with the wind, mic in the right hand and big balloon in the left, a sparkling smile on her face it was all clear to him. He'd made the exact right decision.

"And I owe it all to you", Rin walked up the stairs with slow graceful steps while the audience could do nothing but stare petrified at the scene but Oliver only looked back at her in adoration as she came to stand next to him. Oh, yes! He was indeed having the time of his life.

 

                                                                                                            _._

 

"Please, put in the second disc", Hio looked at his boyfriend with those infamous puppy eyes and that traitorously innocent smile.

"Nope", Gakupo laughed softly as he looked back at the blond, "if I do we won't have anything left to watch tomorrow and well", he looked at the cellphone lying on the table, "maybe it's time to check up on Oliver".

"No, I think it's okay", Hio smiled softly as he laid back on the couch, "for once I actually believe you. The Kagamines tends to have things in control and Oliver is responsible enough not to..."

But the young man didn't even have time to finish his sentence as the cellphone on the table rang.

"Oh hi Mrs Kagamine", he replied with a sparkling smile as he had on earlier, "how are things goi... what?"

Gakupo watched on as his boyfriend's face paled, the muscles in his face tensing before his eyes narrowed in that expression that would have any person with a bit of sense in them get on the nearest flight to Mars.

"We'll be there in a minute", his voice was calm but his gaze witnessed of a million unpleasant thoughts. 

 

                                                                                                       _._

 

"That was a wonderful performance but I think you should put that down now", Mr Kagamine said as he came to stand between his daughter and the usually so serious blond boy next to her.

In some way Oliver had already suspected this kind of thing would happen since it seemed these traditional adults didn't much approve of this kind of entertainment and yet he somehow found himself really not minding. Oliver looked back calmly at the tall blond man and without knowing how it'd happened he'd inhaled yet another breath of the balloon in his hand.

"I think you should put that down now", he repeated in a high-pitched voice.

If the shocked horrified expression on the man in front of him as well as the many faces in the audience might make him think that this may not be the right decision after all, the surprised yet admiring expression in Rin's blue eyes had him entirely convinced.

"Would you please give me the microphone", the older man reached out his hand, his voice calm but his blue eyes witnessing of an upcoming storm that may spread over the entity of Japan.

"Nope", Oliver said calmly after having inhaled yet another breath from the blue balloon, "never".

"And why is that?" the storm in Mr Kagamine's eyes was just about to set free and it would first and foremost set for Oliver Williams.

A moment of silence before Oliver thought up the perfect line.

"Because I have the time of my life", he sang as he smilingly looked at everyone from the people in the audience to the furious man in front of him.

Rin had the grin of the century on her face but as Oliver made his next decision it seemed this had entirely stopped being about her. Dropping the mic on the ground he held on to the balloon in his hand as if his life depended on it, and with his arms stretched to the sides like wings he gave the people surrounding him one last smile before taking off to the unknown...  or rather the Kagamine's house.

 

                                                                                                            _._

 

Smiling triumphantly Oliver looked out from under the table. He had outsmarted all the adults in the house and reached his end-destination, the kitchen where that lovely treasure consisting of balloons of different colors and that wonderful gas was hidden.

Oliver had proved once and for all how competent he was, how cunning, fast and completely invincible he was. Picking up the umpteenth balloon for today the boy smiled as he placed it to the tank, quickly filling it to the brim but as he inhaled deeply he heard the door-handle being twisted open.

Every muscle in Oliver's body tensed. It was going to end now, his small instant of freedom but at the very least Oliver could end this amazing fight with a bang. Smiling he prepared to face his executioner but nothing could have prepared him for the sight at the other side of the door.

"This is not what it looks like", Oliver said in a ridiculously high-pitched voice as he met the at this instant seemingly more pitch-black than auburn eyes.

Hio was looking at him with a face pale and tensed by shock and anger and the untold 'nothing but homework for a week', and his almost shaking hands made Oliver wish that he'd never gone into this room in the first place . As Oliver felt the air finally leaving him and drifted to unconsciousness the only thought on his mind was that he suddenly wasn't having the time of his life anymore.


	2. The time of your life?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh! Have had a tough last week. My grandmother passed away and I´m more or less still trying to recover from the shock.   
> Nonetheless, I´m happy to say that I´ve finally finished this chapter and even though it isn´t my best work by a long shot I´m rather pleased with it.

Oliver watched in silence as his brother placed the water-bottle on his nightstand. Just as he had all morning Hio only gave him an accusing gaze as a reply, the type of gaze that looked as though you'd just used all his money to buy chocolate and in the end only used it to smear down the neighbor's house anyway.

Don't get him wrong, Oliver much liked the idea of his brother for once not speaking of a million things at the same time, but if it was for the sole purpose of giving Oliver looks that could make hell freeze over he could in fact deal with regular nagg-Hio a lot better.

Laying back on his bed Oliver wondered if it was worth the trouble to actually open his mouth and ask Hio to bring up that book he'd left downstairs. Since he was going to spend this day in bed anyway he might as well have something nice to read and it wasn't as though Hio was going to let him near the TV after everything that happened yesterday.

Nonetheless engaging in a conversation with the ice-king over a book he may not even receive, was that really worth cracking his already hoarse voice over? Oliver decided not as he closed his eyes, pretending to fall asleep.

It was not until he heard the quick and loud steps and the door being shut behind his brother, of course with a bang that he sat up in bed with a loud nearly tormented sigh.

'The time of his life' he'd so foolishly called it yesterday and he guessed he could call it the same thing today even though in the aftermath of things it had a completely different meaning.

Yet, as much as he blamed himself for his new obtained hoarseness which he definitely hoped only was temporary, and his bedroom prison (since Hio seemed to hit two birds with one stone by not only punishing Oliver for his bad behavior but also protecting him from the millions and millions of dangerous helium balloons out there) he couldn't deny that the feeling yesterday had been liberating, a feeling he'd never experienced before.

Maybe Hio was right in that helium was a dangerous, dangerous drug because he'd never felt so confident, free and independent as he did from the very moment he'd inhaled the first breath of the blue balloon Rin had given him to the moment he'd ran away from her father.

Oh yes Rin, as much as he'd hated to admit it he'd done it all to impress her from the very beginning but he couldn't remember at which point it had changed from being all about her to being all about Oliver Williams because in the end that had been exactly what it was.

Oliver sighed as he leaned back on the pillow. Who yesterday had or hadn't been about didn't matter though because there was no guarantee he'd ever set eyes on balloons OR Kagamine Rin again.

                                                                                          

                                                                                                    _._

 

"Give it a break will you?" Gakupo sighed as he watched his boyfriend slam the seventh drawer shut this hour.

"Why should I?" Hio exclaimed, "apparently that Kagamine Rin-brat is getting all the breaks she wants despite of all the misery she causes".

"You don't know that", Gakupo said calmly as he sat back in his chair, "she could be locked inside her room with her head buried inside a math book right now".

Hio raised his eyebrows, arms crossed over his chest as he gave the purple haired man a knowing look. "You think so?"

Gakupo met his boyfriend's auburn gaze well aware that Hio bought Gakupo's speech about as much as the samurai himself did.

"Nope", Gakupo frowned, a knowing look of his own, "not in the slightest".

"That smug little brat", Hio's eyes burned with fury as he opened the door to the dish washer, taking out one of the now clean mugs, "thinking she can play with other people's feelings like that", his other hand holding the dishcloth looked more as though it was about to suffocate it slowly rather than use it for wiping.

"I don't think she sees it that way", Gakupo said, "she simply sees other kids willing to share her type of fun, say what you want", Gakupo grimaced slightly, "but you can't exactly accuse Miku-chan and Len-kun of being hardcore adventurers".

But apparently Hio was in no mood to listen to that side of the debate because the hand holding the dish-cloth now looked as though it was attempting to peel the mug of its outer layer rather than dry it.

"Surely, she must know how he feels", the dish-cloth made a violent move over the white mug, "even this goddamn mug would know how he feels", the blond exclaimed as he put said mug down with a bang.

Gakupo frowned where he sat considering wether allowing Hio free access to the kitchen at this time was such an excellent idea.

"I wouldn't bet on that though", he said, "Rin-chan doesn't pay attention to those kind of things. To her it's just a friend who finally shares her interests".

"And apparently her interests are the only things that matters", Hio snapped as he picked up another mug, violently rubbing at it with the cloth, "and apparently her parents never tells her otherwise".

Gakupo watched his boyfriend quietly unsure of how to continue this conversation. When Hio was in _that_ mood there were indeed very few arguments he bought, and considering the fact that Gakupo had absolutely nothing to counter Hio's last statement with maybe the whole idea of trying to calm him down would have the absolute opposite effect.

"God! I hate parents who can't even control their damn...", Hio continued before significantly raising his voice, "fuck!"

Gakupo jumped in his seat as he heard the sound of the porcelain breaking.

"That is just great Hio!" the blond muttered as he looked down at the broken mess in the sink, "just great! Another broken mug was exactly what we needed".

Gakupo decided right then right there that a proper time-out was in order.

"You know sweetie", he said softly as he stepped up from his seat, quickly walking into the kitchen to place his arms around the slender figure from behind, "I'll deal with this, you go cool your head meanwhile".

"Oh, but I can't!" Hio exclaimed as he turned around to look at his boyfriend, "you cooked breakfast this morning, I ought to do something around here".

Gakupo smiled gently as he met that concerned auburn gaze.

"Sure, you can", he said, "go get some fresh air, that will do you good".

"But what if Oliver...?" Hio's had a deep frown on his face and his eyes seemed almost twice their regular size.

"I'll take care of Oliver", Gakupo interrupted, "it's a 12 year old we're speaking of not a green house", he chuckled.

"You'll remember to bring him water at least once an hour", Hio spoke quickly and his gaze was locked with Gakupo's in utmost seriousness, "he ought to drink at least 1 l before tonight. Make sure he gets some hot tea as well, that'd be good for his throat".

"Of course", Gakupo laughed softly, "now, go take that break!" he raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the broken mug, "we don't want anymore casualties".

Hio hesitated for a while before letting out a deep breath, a small smile on his face.

"Okey then", he said before turning around and placing a small peck on his boyfriend's lips, "I don't feel like breaking anymore of your sister's china. See you later okay?"

"Later", Gakupo smiled softly as he pulled the smaller man into a quick hug, "it will all be okay", he whispered reassuringly.

"Yeah", Hio's frown witnessed of more than a slight doubt, "it will. See you later!" he gave a hasty smile before once again turning his back on the samurai.

Gakupo smiled as his boyfriend was out of the kitchen. Of course it'd be okey. He'd managed in saving the rest of the mugs from Hio's wrath and Oliver's throat would heal soon enough, and if Hio got to cool his head nothing more could happen. At least that was what Gakupo thought.

 

                                                                                                      _._

 

Hio drew a deep breath as he walked past the park. Gakupo had been right. A breath of fresh air had really done him well. His anger with Kagamine Rin and perhaps more so her parents still knew no boundaries and he was still worried about what kind of influence her company would have on Oliver's life in the future, though now after having gotten a bit of distance to the whole ordeal he was a bit calmer.

Oliver was a smart kid and never made the same mistake twice and maybe, just maybe Gakupo was right and Rin had at least gotten a small punishment for her behavior. Yeah, she probably had. Her parents had probably...

Hio's eyes narrowed in the midst of the thought as his gaze reached that very part of the park, the one by the big white tree, the one where he and Gakupo went to collect their thoughts and their piece of mind, there, right there she was, smiling as if she was having the time of her life, the very terror of the neighborhood, the very spawn of Satan, Kagamine Rin.

"What the...", Hio's voice was a low hiss as he glared at the unwelcome sight.

This was it, oh this was definitely it! Hio had had enough of this idiocy once and for all. Oh yes, he'd show her, he'd finally show her the meaning of the word consequence.

"Kagamine Rin!" he yelled as he opened his mouth, the volume of 2 months of restrained anger echoing throughout the neighborhood, "a word with you!"

 

                                                                                                     _._

 

"But don't you see?" Rin exclaimed, a big smile on her face, "it is amazing".

But her twin and his green haired girlfriend looked amazed in all the wrong ways as their accusing glances cut through her.

"Well, Oliver-kun is grounded perhaps indefinitely and his brother hates him", Len gave his sister a dark look, "I wouldn't call that amazing".

"Yeah", Miku's gaze and the uncharacteristic chilliness of her voice was merciless, "I hope you're proud of yourself".

Rin frowned, an unusually thoughtful look on her face.

"Not of myself but of him", she said after a while, "he finally cut loose".

Len snorted and the look of anger and disbelief on Miku's face would be enough to make even the bravest soul concerned about their fate.

"You are just unbelievable", she shook her head, "I cannot believe what you'd tell yourself to get off easy".

"No", Rin protested, "I really think that he..."

But the angry yell echoing through the air cut her off mid-sentence.

"Kagamine Rin! A word with you!"

From having reflected a million accusations Miku's and Len's faces almost grew frighteningly serene, soft smiles on their faces. "Well, Len", Miku said as she looked at her boyfriend, "didn't you say that ´The Mysteries of Nagasaki Castle` starts at 7 o'clock?"

"Oh, yeah", Len said as he sent his sister an innocent glance, "I think we'd better get going. Have fun Rin!"

And as the two turned their backs towards her and the predatory roar closed in Rin only had one thought. She was certainly not going to have the time of her life.

 

                                                                                                   _._

 

"You sure?" Oliver looked worriedly at the purple haired man sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Yeah", Gakupo chuckled, "he didn't bring a knife with him so I'm sure Rin-chan will be safe".

"Mm", Oliver nodded but the look in his big brown eyes and the big frown on his face witnessed of him being everything but convinced.

"Take it easy boy", Gakupo smiled comfortingly as he placed a hand on the boy's head, "chances are minimal that he'll run into her today because if she hasn't been grounded already her parents have surely made her come home early to study for the test. The Kagamines takes school very seriously you know".

"Yeah", Oliver nodded seriously, "I know they do".

The two fell silent for a while. Much as they both loved Hio they didn't mind having a Hio-free moment now and then, especially not in situations like these. For equally as sweet, generous and warm as he usually was he could be downright enraged and hysterical and Hio on a bad day was well... Hio on a bad day.

"I know he hates me right now", Oliver sighed, "and he's within his full right to. I made him a promise and I broke it and further more I was rude and obnoxious to Rin's parents".

Gakupo sighed in return before smiling gently.

"Your brother doesn't hate you", he said, "he's just worried and we both know that his way of expressing worry isn't always that brilliant. He loves you and he just doesn't want you get into a mess you can't get out of". "I know", Oliver said in a low voice, "and I really don't want to worry him but for once I just...", Oliver closed his eyes, an almost dreamlike expression on his face. "Wanted to know what it was like to break free", Gakupo filled in an amused smile on his face, "to just follow your impulses". Oliver looked at the purple haired man in silence before nodding. "Yeah", he said seriously, "yeah". "I'm sure your brother would understand", Gakupo said, "if you just bring it up once he's calmed down a slight bit. Besides", he patted the boy on his pale blond hair, "he's not really mad at you, he's mad at Rin-chan".

"I know", the small blond frowned heavily, "that's why I wonder why's he's been away for so long. He's usually only gone for 20 minutes tops".

"He probably just ran into Maika or Roro", Gakupo smiled calmly, "or well... basically anybody", the samurai chuckled, "you know how he is".

"Yeah", the frown on Oliver's face remained, "... or Rin-chan".

Gakupo looked silently at the boy. If he knew the Kagamines right the kids would be indoors this time of day but yet he couldn't rule out that possibility. Sure it wasn't likely but if that chance of 0,01 % happened then god so help them all.

"You know what", he smiled reassuringly at the boy, "I'll go see what he's up to if it makes you any calmer. Probably it's nothing more than the normal oversocial Hio-stuff but we need to get prepared for dinner anyway so it's about time he got back".

"Thank you", Oliver smiled that reserved yet grateful smile as he looked back at the samurai.

"No problem", Gakupo gave the boy another reassuring pat on the head, "just you rest that voice of yours now".

Gakupo smiled to himself as he turned his back towards the boy. Oliver was going to be just fine and hopefully so would Rin and Hio.

 

                                                                                                _._

 

"How could you do a thing like that?" Hio's cheeks were flaming red as he looked at the petite blond in front of him.

"What thing?" Rin said with the innocent smile that Hio had truly come to loath the last months.

Did she truly think no one saw through that?

"You know exactly what I'm talking about", he snapped.

"What, enjoying the sun on this lovely afternoon?"

As Hio looked into those innocent blue eyes he was practically boiling over from the inside. That obnoxious little shit! How could she have the guts to pretend that she didn't know exactly what he meant?

"Oh!" he raised his voice as he glared back at her, "you know exactly what I mean. The helium. The damn party-trick you made my brother pull".

"Oh", only a slight frown on her face before the younger Kagamine-twin continued calmly, "but I didn't exactly make him pull that per see. Sure, I introduced him to it but he sure continued it".

Hio knitted fists so hard they were nearly white. Such a mouthy brat. Not even a smidgen of shame in her voice.

"He wouldn't have continued it if you hadn't encouraged him to", he continued, his entire body shaking with rage, "do you seriously think it's cool that you're out here enjoying the fresh air while he is suffering from the hoarseness of the century?"

"Oh", Rin frowned again, "that tends to happen the first time but he'll be fine and like I said, he was the one who chose to take it further not me", a slight sign of annoyance made its way into Rin's blue gaze".

"Oh really?" Hio snorted, "so you're seriously going to deny the fact that you were right on the stage next to him?"

"No, I'm not", Rin glared back at the young man, "but he chose to get up there in the first place and since I liked the idea I followed him".

Another snort as Hio's gaze lingered on Rin's a nearly venomous smile on his face.

"You know, Rin-chan. You may fool your parents but you're not fooling me", he said, "I've seen you at it multiple times. I guess I could ignore it before since it was none of my business but you have just made it my business by going after my brother".

"What 'going after'?" Rin exclaimed all of a sudden, blue eyes now matching Hio's in fury, "he made the decision himself. I'm not the boss of him!"

Hio stayed silent only for a moment a slight frown on his face before his eyes narrowed again.

"Damn right you're not", he said, voice unusually calm but eyes still burning with silent fury, "and I'm not letting you manipulate him into doing these idiotic things".

Now it was Rin's turn to look at Hio in silence.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "so that's only okay for you then?"

Hio stiffened for a moment suddenly at a loss for words. Bossing Oliver around? What could that..?

"And what is that supposed to mean?" he snapped back.

"Well", Rin took a deep breath fists knitted as she glared back at Hio, "it's apparently okay for you to boss him around like a bloody 4 year old but when I give him a damn choice it's the end of the century".

Another moment of silence from Hio before he fired back at her. "Manipulation is not a choice", he exclaimed, "Oliver is 12 and you just turned 15, you should know better by now".

"And you're old enough not to behave like bloody stuck up neurotic dictator", Rin's voice was practically a scream by now, face almost tomato-colored with wrath, "not to say a complete psycho".

The face Hio made in response wasn't far too different from the one Oliver had the pleasure of being exposed to yesterday.

"And you should learn to stop being such a self-satisfied, mouthy and irresponsible brat!" the sentence echoed through the park and possibly even the entire neighborhood.

And right then right there something started that to quote Maika could be called the 'shitstorm of the century' where both participants were too busy firing insults at one another to even know what insults they were countering in the first place.

 

                                                                                                   _._

 

Gakupo walked quietly down the streets still feeling relatively calm. The odds of Hio running into Rin were low and he believed the fresh air had done his boyfriend good. Nonetheless he couldn't wait to find him because Hio-free moments were only nice for so long.

Knowing Hio he and Oliver would definitely make peace once he returned and then things could continue in their regular sweet and peaceful manner, the one that Gakupo had slowly come to value more than any other experiences in his soon 24 year old life so far.

It would all become perfectly fine when he returned with Hio and things would be exactly as usu... Gakupo stopped dead in his tracks as he heard the loud growl.

"Whoever the hell said that? I haven't made it my purpose in life to piss people off!"

Oh yes, the samurai definitely recognized that youthful female voice and even though the chance was slight to numb he hoped that the one she fired this line at wasn't...

"Oh, yeah, so you mean you go around messing with people as some kind of charity then?" the question was practically spat out.

Yeah, nope. No such luck apparently. The fact that a bunch of people were gathered around the park should have calmed him slightly since that would at least slightly minimize the chances of murder, but somehow Gakupo couldn't help but feel as though said bunch were more likely to encourage said murder than prevent it.

The Utante siblings Miki and Piko as well as Nekomura Iroha had their eyes practically glued to the sight as though it was an extraterrestrial life form while the tall blond Lily as he remembered it had an amused grin on her face.

Yowane Haku was finally actually at least looking half alive, the blond American Leon was looking as though he was going to die of laughter any minute and while the dark haired girl Clara was rolling her eyes her boyfriend Bruno was snickering as he looked at the two blond figures ahead of him.

"What the hell is going on here!" Gakupo muttered as he looked over the bunch of people that he currently was an inch away from decapitating.

"Just the battle of the obnoxious blondes".

Oh, of course he'd be here! Gakupo's gaze darkened as he glared at that idiotic grin and those lazy green eyes. Of course you could trust it that this moron didn't have anything more meaningful going on in his life than watching a fight he had nothing to do with.

"Oh!" Mikuo's eyes and mouth widened immediately as he looked at the samurai, "I forgot Hio is your..."

But the young man didn't get time to finish the sentence because Gakupo had placed his hand on the side of his head and shoved him away with a force that sent him flying into Yowane Haku who looked at the green haired man as though she'd just awoken from a thousand year old slumber.

Paying no mind to the moron's muttering Gakupo ran towards the angry gesturing and loudly yelling blonds, the burning sets of blue and borderline crimson colored eyes doing nothing to calm him.

Only one thought was looping around inside his mind. He was not having the time of his life.

 

                                                                                                         _._

 

"Wow! So you're seriously going to make me believe that you care about him now", Hio snorted as his gaze practically burnt holes through the girl in front of him, "you know, I've heard many stupid things in my life but this takes the cake".

Rin was biting her lower lip, in all likelihood to avoid biting HIO as she glared back at him.

"Believe whatever the hell you want", she snapped, "or whatever the hell you're comfortable believing because we both know", she took a deep breath before continuing in a slightly calmer voice, her gaze not deviating an inch from her enemie's, "that the real reason you're behaving like a neurotic, bitchy PMS-monster is because the first time Oliver actually smiled for real wasn't thanks to you".

For an instant a small instant an unidentifiable almost excruciating pain hit Hio in the chest. It was almost as though Rin had shot him at close range with a laser gun and her challenging gaze most certainly did nothing to help the ache.

Without knowing how it had happened Hio did something that his common sense usually deemed to be far below his level as he fired back his retort.

"And you know deep inside that the only reason you're behaving like a mean, spoiled and insensitive brat is because you've never even HAD PMS to begin with despite of being what now?" he yelled back, "15 years old. And now you're taking out your inferiority complex on everyone else".

Hio regretted the words almost immediately after they'd left his mouth. Rin was starring at him with her mouth half open, for once in her life seemingly completely at a loss for words but somehow it was nothing compared to the look on Hio's own. God damn it, he had definitely went below himself.

The old familiar sigh behind him and the dejected look on his lover's face as he turned around definitely didn't make things any better. "Hio", Gakupo said, "I think we're done here sweetie".

                                                  

                                                                                                      _._

 

"So how did you think that went?" Gakupo's voice was calm as he looked at the sulking blond on the couch.

Gakupo and Hio had been quiet all the way home and even though Hio still was well aware of his mistake it seemed his bad conscience had once again been pushed aside in favor of his anger and annoyance with Rin.

"Crap obviously", he muttered, "but I'm not the only one who behaved like an asshole. Did you even hear what she said before you got there?" Hio exclaimed, the look in his auburn eyes once again making anyone who didn't know him glad that he wasn't carrying any sharp objects, "I can't believe her parents lets her get away with these things. She's just..."

"Just 15", Gakupo interrupted. Hio sighed as he turned around to face his boyfriend. Gakupo's smile was tender comforting even and almost immediately made the blond let his guard down.

"She's still just a child", Gakupo continued, "and as you said hasn't gotten a proper upbringing. You however just turned 20 years old", the look the samurai sent his boyfriend was soft yet undeniably grave, "you should know by now that tearing her down doesn't lead to anything".

Just a moment of silence before Hio let out another sigh.

"I know", he said finally an expression of undeniable guilt written all over his face, "and I regretted that line pretty much before I even finished it. That was really just mean and...", he looked down at his feet, "out of all the dumb lines I've ever used in my life it was definitely in the top 5". "Hers wasn't much better to be honest", Gakupo gave the blond a knowing look, "so I can't really blame you for getting upset. It was however an epic amount of word vomit nonetheless", he walked over to his boyfriend as he placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "overall you're amazing though, no word vomits slipping out of that mouth will ever make me think otherwise".

As he met his boyfriend's gaze, Hio could rest assured that even if his actions resulted in the apocalypse Gakupo wouldn't love him any less. Those grey eyes reflected nothing but the utmost sincerity and tenderness and as those long fingers reached out to touch his cheek...

"How could you", Oliver yelled from where he stood at the end of the stairs. His brown eyes reflecting an uncharacteristic anger and disappointment.

Hio and Gakupo starred in silence at the boy. They both had a more than vague idea what this was about but right now they were too stunned to word it.

"Don't pretend as though you don't know what I'm talking about", the glare was directed entirely at Hio, Gakupo it just swooped past, "I've heard the entire conversation".

Hio looked back at his brother, surprise immediately turning into concern and guilt. "Oliver I didn't mean to...", he started.

"But you did!" Oliver shot back, eyes filled with a million unsaid accusations, "this was entirely between me and her but you just had to cut in didn't you? Ruin one of my friendships for life".

"Oliver I didn't mean to...", Hio reached out his hand as he looked regretfully at his brother.

"Whatever", Oliver's voice was nothing but a snort as he turned his back on the the two men quickly walking up the stairs again, "it's not as though you ever understand anything but your own voice anyway".

Hio watched on in silent despair as his brother ran out of sight, the sound of his bedroom door being slammed shut echoing throughout the house. Oh, he'd messed up. He'd messed up big this time.

"Go deal with him", Gakupo gave his boyfriend a gentle albeit serious look, "I'll go deal with Rin".

Hio could do nothing but give a silent nod. Yes, he'd deal with whatever was possible which honestly didn't look like much at the moment.

 

                                                                                                   _._

 

Gakupo looked at the small blond in silence, an unreadable look on his face. When he'd knocked on the Kagamines door Rin's parents had agreed to let him take their daughter on a walk despite of the lateness of the evening. They knew him after all and in all likelihood Gakupo suspected deep inside that he could discipline their daughter far better than they could.

As it was now they were standing underneath that big white tree the one where this as well as so many other things had started and just as Gakupo had suspected the very same expression was reflected in Rin's eyes as had been reflected in Hio's earlier on.

"So I assume I'm here because I insulted your precious boyfriend", she muttered finally a defiant ´look in her blue eyes.

"Partly yes", Gakupo nodded calmly not even a smidgen of annoyance reflected in his grey eyes, "but also due to the fact that he insulted _you_ ".

"The only insult was his epic lack of comebacks", Rin glared back at the samurai, "what 20 year old uses menstruation as an insult?"

"To be fair you accused him of being...", Gakupo placed a hand underneath his chin, calmly meeting the girl's gaze, "what was that you said again? A neurotic, bitchy PMS-monster?"

Rin drew a deep sigh, a surprisingly guilty expression on her face.

"I know", she said, "I shouldn't have said that but he just... "she threw her arms to the sides", I just don't know", she looked dejectedly at her feet.

"He shouldn't have said those things", Gakupo said, "it was below him but you know... ", he looked seriously at the girl, "this whole thing with Oliver is a really sensitive topic to him. You must understand", Gakupo smiled gently after a moment, "Oliver's been pretty much all he's had since he lost his parents and giving him a happy life has pretty much been Hio's biggest purpose. Trust me, there has not been a day in his life when he hasn't pondered on that line of yours".

"But I only said it a few hours ago", Rin frowned, biting her lower lip in confusion.

"Yeah", Gakupo nodded, "but Hio's said that line to himself ever since...", he directed his look sternly at the sky, "... that day. As good a person as he is no kid can be their own parents and Hio is painfully aware".

If Hio's last line had left Rin at a loss for words before it was nothing compared to how Gakupo's last lines left her now. Her mouth was practically half opened and her big eyes made her look almost half her age.

"He may not seem like it", Gakupo sighed, "but Hio has a load of confidence issues that nor you nor me could ever fathom".

Another moment of silence before Rin spoke again.

"Is he very upset", her voice was almost hushed and the look in her blue eyes reminded Gakupo of a child who'd realized that she'd just broken her parent's most valuable possession.

"He is", Gakupo nodded thoughtfully, "but admittedly more for what he said to you than what you said to him. He really didn't mean that".

Rin bit her lower lip before speaking again. "You know", she said seriously, "the only thing that made me sad about that line is that I wished it was true".

Gakupo's eyes widened as he gave the girl a puzzled look.

"You know", she sighed, "I don't really want to become an adult. I don't want to deal with what mum and dad deals with every day", she let her hands fall to the sides as she made a small pause, "I don't want to deal with this whole...", her eyes narrowed, "buying houses and apartments, getting married and you know...", all of a sudden the frustration Gakupo recognized very well from another energetic blond was reflected within her blue gaze,

"keep up a million different performances for people I don't like", Rin continued, voice somehow increasing in speed, "I don't want to pay rent for a house I don't really want to live in, prioritize three or so ugly kids before myself and pay for it with a job that I don't even want and am stuck with because I can't get the one I _really_ want".

Gakupo watched her quietly before feeling a smile creep up on his face. "Do you think that's how I live?"

Once again Rin seemed to be at a loss for words starring almost awkwardly at the samurai before continuing.

"I didn't mean...", she started, "well, you like your job and all that... and well. I haven't been to Hio's place but it seems nice and well...", the girl did something extremely rare and started fiddling with her fingers, "... Hio is the way he is but he's not entirely bad", she frowned, "just occasionally. And then Oliver..." She quietened as a an amused half smile split Gakupo's face.

"So what about Oliver?" he looked teasingly at the young girl as she looked the other way.

"Well he...", she started, "he can be way too serious and all that but", she looked hesitantly at the samurai, "but he's really cool and I really admire him for having the guts to be well...", she paused as she thought her words over, "just him".

Gakupo's eyes widened slightly. While he had always been convinced that Rin didn't think half as lowly of Oliver as Hio seemed to believe these last words indeed came as a surprise to him. Rin admiring someone who practically was her complete opposite? Could that truly happen?

"You know", Rin smiled slightly, "that hat and the shirt and that old fashioned way of speaking... if anyone tried that, literally anyone they would look like huge dorks... but Oliver", her face suddenly split into an amused grin, "well... he makes an awesome dork".

Another moment of silence before Gakupo gave a full smile. He remembered the whole 'awesome dork'-thing pretty damn well from another blond's lips but that sentence had involved a `silly old fashioned kimono` and `unfashionable long hair` rather than a hat.

"What?" Rin frowned as she looked back at the purple haired man.

"Nothing", Gakupo grinned, "you just remind me of someone".

"I really hope that's someone you like", Rin grimaced.

"Oh trust me!" Gakupo chuckled, "more than anything. So Oliver-kun, huh?" he said to change the subject, "can I assume you like him quite a bit then?"

"Yep", Rin nodded, an unusually serious look on her face, "and you know... I'm really sorry if I got him into any trouble".

"I know you are sweetie", Gakupo smiled softly, "but if that makes you feel any better he had ...", Gakupo paused before giving the girl a teasing smile, "the time of his life".

Rin rolled her eyes but there was a genuine smile on her face.

"Ha ha, very funny", she said, "but seriously", she lowered her voice, the troubled expression returning to her face again, "I hope that's true. I really hope so".

Gakupo nodded. "Don't worry about it", he said for once knowing he was more than correct, "he did. Sure", he frowned, " _Hio_ didn't. But he'll get over it".

Rin nodded slowly. "You know", she said, "I'm really sorry though... it was a really awful thing to say. Saying that thing about Hio never making Oliver happy", she looked down at her feet, "I'm sure that's not true".

"You know Rin-chan", Gakupo placed a gentle hand under the girl's chin as he looked her deep into the eyes, "I know you're a good kid. I've known you since you were a toddler after all but I'm not really the one you should say that to, am I?"

Rin looked down at her feet and drew a deep breath.

"I know", she said finally as she met Gakupo's gaze, a determination in her blue eyes that once again brought his attention back to another particular person, "I guess I have some growing up to do after all".

                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                           _._

 

"Please Oliver", Hio begged as he looked at the mess of blond hair sticking out from under the blue covers, "just say something... just one word".

Hio sighed. It had been an hour since Gakupo had gone away and Oliver hadn't made a sound, something that was unnerving even for such a silent person as his brother. Seriously, Hio would take 'stop nagging me' or even 'I hate you' over this any day.

"I can't talk, I have a sore throat from having overdosed from all those dangerous balloons".

Despite of his concern Hio couldn't help but smile at his brother's snarks. That side of him was mostly hidden behind Oliver's polite and modest surface but once it actually came out very few actually stood a chance. Nonetheless it still didn't change the fact that Hio needed to make him talk. Right now.

"Look Oliver sweetie", Hio let out a small sigh as he sat down on the boy's bed, "I didn't mean to cause the mess I did. I just spoke before thinking as usual and well...", Hio stopped himself, thinking hard about how to word this, "I guess the whole 'through yourself you know others' -deal is more true than I've given it credit for".

Oliver didn't move but somehow Hio knew his brother well enough to know that he'd caught his attention.

"You're a sweet kid Oliver", the older William-brother continued, "but unfortunately everyone else aren't. Some people will use your kindness to get where they want", he drew a hand through his hair as he gave a deep sigh, "and most of them will just turn their back on you once they're done. Trust me! I've been on both sides of the table".

Just as he'd suspected Oliver sat up as if struck by lightning, eyes almost taking up half his face.

"Really?" he said.

"Yeah", Hio looked at the boy with the same guilt as he'd felt 3 years ago when he'd realized his first mistake, "I haven't always been the most caring person around and there was this girl in my class who had the biggest crush on me and well... ", he looked down at his feet.

"What did you do?" Oliver looked at his brother with those large eyes that magically had Hio even more ashamed of his actions than he already was.

"I was horrible at math, horrible at English and well...", Hio continued, "she was a straight A:s student so needless to say I simply took advantage of her crush to have her help me pass school. Broke her heart once she found out", Hio looked out the window, "and I'd be surprised if she ever trusts another guy again. And you know...", he drew a deep breath, "I just never want that to happen to you". A thick silence fell over the room. This was a story he'd never shared with his brother, one that he never wanted him to know in fear of loosing the trust he may not even have but this time however he felt as though it was crucial to keep even a smidgen of the trust he may not even have.

"She wasn't the only one though", Hio continued seemingly against his own will, "I wish I could say that but..."

"Was she unattractive?" The question took Hio off guard as he turned towards his brother.

Oliver had that serious, outright melancholic expression in his brown eyes, the one that made Hio feel as though he'd utterly failed his role as a guardian and once again made him feel as though he'd managed in saying exactly the wrong thing.

"Was she a complete nerd?" the young boy looked as though he was attending a funeral, "was she a loser that nobody liked?"

"No sweetie", Hio said softly, "she was beautiful and smart and pretty much everyone liked her. In fact", he drew a deep sigh and looked away for a while before facing his brother again with a gaze that more than matched that of the young boy in front of him, "I was the loser. I was the weak, cowardly mess that couldn't love or be loved by anyone. You know", he took the boy's face in his hands, "if you can't love yourself, you can't love anyone else".

A moment of silence before Oliver's eyes widened, gloom suddenly turning into realization.

"But Gakupo loves you", he said making a pause before adding in a small voice, "and I love you. I've always loved you".

Now it was Hio's turn to look back at his brother in stunned silence.

"You've never been damaged goods", Oliver said softly, he looked seriously at his older brother, "you've only been... distant. That happens, you know. When you've experienced a trauma", the boy quietened as he looked hesitatingly at the older blond, "at least that's what I've learned from therapy".

Hio looked back at the other in silence for a moment somehow equally as moved as surprised. Oliver had always been mature for his age but this was stunning even for him. How on earth had he managed in turning into the complete opposite of his older brother? What exactly had Hio managed in doing right in the mess that had been their lives for the last years?

"Besides", Oliver mumbled, "Rin-chan was wrong. I've smiled a lot thanks to you".

Hio could only stare at his brother as he did exactly what he so very rarely did and gave a small yet warm smile.

"I just...", the boy placed a hand on his heart, "smile from here. More than here", he placed a hand to his mouth.

Hio's face shone up in a bright smile, a mixture of relief and love reflected in his auburn gaze as he took the small form into his arms.

"Thank you", he murmured although he didn't know if he said it to the boy himself or to some kind of invisible entity, "thank you. You know that all I want is for you to be happy, right?" Hio said as they finally let go of one another.

"I know", Oliver nodded, "and I promise I'll be careful. I won't do things only to because Rin-chan wants me to", he whispered seriously.

Hio was just about to open his mouth when the sound of the old familiar key being turned in the ignition stopped him.

"Seems somebody's back", he gave a genuine smile at the thought of his boyfriend, "thank god we may be able to get started on dinner at last. I'll go help him out. You just rest up meanwhile".

                                               

                                                                                                            _._

 

Hio smiled to himself as he walked down stairs. Everything was going to be okey. Sure, he couldn't change Rin's behavior but Oliver apparently didn't hate him and in all likelihood understood what he was trying to say. Gakupo was back home and tomorrow he might be able to...

"Hey sweetie!"

It wasn't the familiar deep voice or the beloved figure it came from that made Hio stiffen but the small blond standing next to him.

In fact Hio didn't even know if it was the fact that she was standing there in the first place or the look on her face that made him the most surprised. Rin was looking as though she'd made herself guilty of the worst crime in history and deeply regretted the fact that she'd gotten away unpunished.

Hio didn't get time to reflect over that expression however before the small figure practically threw itself into his arms.

"I'm so sorry", the words sounded more like sobs than actual words. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said..."

Without knowing how it had happened Hio pressed the small figure into his arms, a soft smile on his face.

"Me neither", he said, "I'm sorry to".He could feel the movement of a nod against his chest.

Neither of them said anything after that. Any further explanations were redundant because while none of them could promise that they'd never say such a thing again they both knew that those words would never really mean anything. He could see Gakupo smiling softly from behind the girl's shoulder and Hio nodded knowingly at him. While it would sting once again to admit it he would have to admit that his boyfriend was a far better judge of character than himself.

 

                                                                                                           _._

 

Oliver was sitting up in his bed, ear pressed tightly to the wall. He had heard voices down there. Gakupo's and Hio's of course but also a third voice that seemed familiar. The boy wasn't sure if he'd imagined it but as muffled as it was he could still hear that well known soprano.

He didn't exactly know if it could be called wishful thinking because he didn't know if he felt ready to see her just yet. He still liked her of course but after what she'd said to Hio and after the things Hio had shared about his youth he didn't know if seeing her all that much was such a good idea, but at the same time he really wanted to...

He didn't however have much time to reflect on the matter because the door to his room was opened.

"Hi".

There she stood at the door entrance, blue school uniform and signature ribbon in her hair, smile on her face as usual but somehow there seemed to be something a little more guarded in that smile.

"Can I come in", she asked.

"Sure", Oliver nodded.

Instead of beating at ten times its normal pace the boy's heart seemed to have stopped entirely. Rin here in his room. Just the two of them alone.

"So how's your throat?" the seriousness in both her face and her voice almost caught Oliver of guard.

"Errrhm..." Oliver started.

"No, on second thought don't talk", Rin interrupted him, making a dismissive sign with her hand, "rest your voice".

Oliver could do nothing but stare as the girl sat down on his bed. Who knew, maybe helium was a halogen after all because this couldn't by any chance be Kagamine Rin could it? 

"Look", Rin sighed, "I'm really sorry I got you into this mess. It should have been my ass that got in trouble".

Oliver was just about to say that he did it all by his own accord when Rin put up her palm in front of him again.

"No, don't talk", she said, "just for now... let me apologize. It was stupid of me".

Now Oliver couldn't have said anything if he had wanted to because it was all simply too much to take in. Rin was sitting here all alone in his room. Apologizing to him. What kind of delusional dream was he having? But if he already was having difficulty digesting his reality the next thing that happened didn't help.

"You know", Rin started, "I really think we should hang out more together".

If Oliver had recently drunken any of the water next to his bed he would have spat it out. He looked thoroughly for any indicator in her blue gaze that she was kidding, but that mouth that didn't show even a trace of a smile and the big eyes that for once looked completely serious gave away no such clues.

"I mean the two of us", she continued, "when we're with Miku and Len we don't really get much time to ourselves and well...", she looked away for a while, "and I'd really like to know you better".

Oliver's mouth was wide open again but he didn't know if it was because he had something to say or if it was because he simply... had nothing to say at all but either way Rin held up an objective palm again.

"No, no don't talk", she said, "just... think about it and then you can give me an answer when you're voice doesn't sound like a dead croak anymore".

Oliver watched in amazement as Rin gave a smile slightly similar to her regular one and rose from the bed.

"Now", she gave him a light pat on the head, "don't let the bad bugs bite".

As the door was closed behind her Oliver had but one thought. He certainly had the time of his life but he didn't know if that was a bad or a good thing.

 

                                                                                                         _._

 

"But I still don't know", Hio sighed, "I mean you're right... she isn't that bad a kid but as you said... she's 15".

It had gone four days since the infamous event and Oliver had after a small moment of consideration taken Rin's offer on hanging out just the two of them after school. Now the two youths had gone to the arcade and Gakupo and Hio were patiently waiting for Oliver's return.

"So", Gakupo smiled amusedly.

"Well", Hio frowned, "she isn't juuuust 15. She is actuuaaally 15", he bit his lower lip as concern was reflected within those crimson eyes, "and Oliver is 12".

"13 in a month", Gakupo said matter of factually.

"Yeah but... You know what I mean", Hio let his arms fall to the sides with that all familiar impatience written all over his face, "he's going to follow along with her every whim."

"He won't", Gakupo shrugged his shoulders, "I don't think he feels much like repeating another house-arrest".

"Not now maybe but...", Hio sighed again, "but what if they decide to you know... _stick together_?" Hio gave his boyfriend a nearly horrified look.

"The world will collapse of course", Gakupo said not even a hint of a smile on his face, "and they will watch it all happen from the back of a pig before eloping. Then of course they will ride to the end of the rainbow you know...", he frowned slightly, "right next to the US".

Another moment of silence before Gakupo's face split up into a big grin, a loud laughter coming out of his mouth. 

"You're an ass, do you know that?" Hio exclaimed as he glared at his boyfriend.

"I know", Gakupo smiled softly, "but a reasonable ass nonetheless. You know", the samurai gave his boyfriend a serious look, "how do you think he's going to learn character judgement if you constantly do it for him?"

Hio sighed again, desperately trying to come up with a legitimate reason before looking resignedly at his boyfriend.

"Okey then you win", he muttered as he gave the samurai a non to convincing glare, "but don't expect a damn medal for it".

Gakupo laughed as he grinned teasingly at the blond.

"How about a kiss?" he said.

"Only if you wipe that smug ass smile off your face", Hio glared daggers at the purple haired man.

"Sure", Gakupo said calmly as he brought the back of his hand to his face and made a sweeping motion over his mouth, "there! Wiped off! Can I have a kiss now?"

Hio gave a light sigh but smiled directly afterwards as he leaned forwards, gently capturing the other man's lips. Just a small brush of mouth against mouth but nonetheless filled with more meaning and tenderness than any heavy french-kiss he´d exchanged in his early teens. 

"You happy?" he said as they broke apart.

"After those words of wisdom I think I'd deserve more than 10 seconds", Gakupo chuckled, "Don't you think?"

"You got minus-points for smugness", Hio said as he smiled teasingly at his boyfriend. 

Gakupo was just about to reply when the doorbell interrupted him.

"Seems they're back", he grinned, "wonder what kind of...?" he stopped himself as he looked into the warning auburn eyes.

"Do you feel like anymore kisses tonight or not?" Hio said calmly, a frighteningly sweet smile on his face. 

"Well... nevermind", Gakupo smiled sheepishly as he went for the door.

What they saw as Gakupo twisted the door handle shouldn't be all that surprising because Rin having an ingenious smile on her face belonged to the normalities, but the fact that Oliver wore one as well and that they both seemed to make a tremendous job blocking something from his and Hio´s view didn't really.

"Hi there", Rin said, "Hio-chan, Gakupo onii-chan".

"Hi", Gakupo smiled.

"Hi", Hio said with a smile that did very little to hide his concern.

"Oliver and I have a little idea", Rin said. She placed a hand under her chin, pretended thoughtfulness on her face, "we know that you're against this whole drug-thing but we were thinking... if we do it under supervision it might not be all that bad". '

Gakupo could see that characteristic expression of his boyfriend's eyes widening and mouth opening before suddenly clenching, auburn eyes glaring in fury and shock at the girl.

But both Rin and Oliver continued smiling secretively as they moved aside, slowly revealing a small tank.

"We know that these are horribly dangerous drugs", Rin continued as she held up a bag of balloons, "but if you watch it might not be all that bad".

A sigh of relief fell from Hio's lips and Gakupo's face split up into a wide grin.

"Sure", he said, "we might need to go to the basement though. This room isn't exactly helium-friendly. Hio?"

The blond was just about to open his mouth to ask one of his never ending questions when he saw the pleading expressions not only on Oliver and Rin faces but on Gakupo's and sighed dejectedly.

"Sure, bring the damn helium inside", he said before raising a warning finger, "but I'm just supervising".

But Hio had ended up doing far more than just supervised and needless to say Oliver had not been the one forced to drink endless amounts of hot and cold water the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang! What is up with me and sapping the shiiizzzz out of things? lol   
> Since I´m almost falling asleep now I´m not sure what more to write here other than that I hope this was an enjoyable read despite of the ridiculous sap amount.

**Author's Note:**

> So there ya have it! I personally had a lot of fun writing Rin and I really hope to include more of her in later stories but well... we´ll see what comes next :). 
> 
> In any case this is just chapter 1 in this story, because of course like the over-analyzing person I am I have to write about the aftermath of every damn event lol. I don´t know if it will be just one chapter or two. It all depends on how long the rest gets but expect it well... hopefully not any longer than a week from now. 
> 
> Anyway, take care and hope you enjoy this story :)


End file.
